People With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Face Barriers to Health Care

MONDAY, Oct. 21, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) continue to experience barriers to health care access and treatment and financial struggles, according to a study published online Oct. 8 in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

Ariel A. Jordan, M.D., from University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues surveyed IBD patients and their caregivers (2,281 completed responses) regarding access to health care professionals, medications, and procedures; associated financial challenges; and patient awareness of education and advocacy tools to navigate IBD care barriers.

The researchers found that patients on advanced specialty medications, younger than 65 years of age, or on employer insurance experienced significantly greater issues with insurance barriers to accessing medications and coverage of medically necessary tests or treatments. Patients who live in areas of concentrated poverty were more likely to experience poor health outcomes as a result of step therapy versus patients who did not. Additionally, patients living in an area with concentrated poverty were more likely to experience one or more financial barriers or trade-offs if the patient used advanced specialty medicine.

“Ongoing awareness and advocacy efforts focused on health care system reform and related policies to further minimize care disparities and barriers remain vital,” the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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